Medal scam alert

The Council of Ministers issued a letter on July 12 to all government institutions warning officials to be wary of persons promising to get them honorific decorations in exchange for money, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the Post.

The letter, signed by Seng Lim Noeu, a secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said unknown persons in the Department of Decorations had scammed civil servants and businessmen out of money in exchange for honorary titles and medals that they were slated to receive anyway.

“Please, ladies and gentlemen, advise leaders and civil servants under your management to be careful of being swindled by cheaters,” the letter reads.

Seng Lim Noeu said yesterday that the scammers operated by claiming that they had helped obtain the decoration, then demanding payment.

He said the department has never demanded money in exchange for decorations, and that “an urgent measure must be taken, because preparing decorations for civil servants is done according to rules”.